The visit
by hoopznyoyo
Summary: What if Abby had a sister and she came to town... it's turning out pretty short and I'm not sure if I should develop it more.
1. Chapter 1

"Gibbs, I know you want answers but there's too much here. Major mass spec is on overload and if I input any more data into these computers they're gonna blow," Abby said. "But, I think I know a way to get the reconstructions done. We'll go old school."

"Old school?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, pencils, erasers, all that," she answered. "And I know just the person to do them."

"Of course you do," he said. "That person would be?"

"My sister," Abby said. "It just happens she's in town visiting mom. I can probably get her to stay a couple of extra days to do these. You may have to make a phone call or two, though."

"She'll be willing to do this?" Gibbs asked aware of Abby's tumultuous relationship with her sister.

"Actually, she's already agreed; I called her before you came down here," Abby confessed. "She'll be here as soon as I let her know you approved and cleared it with her boss."

"If it means I get identification quicker, I approve," he said.

"Good. Here's the number for her boss. Remember to ask nice, we don't need an international incident with Canada," Abby said. "I'll call her and tell her to head over now."

An hour later, Victoria Sciuto Thériault walked off the elevator into the bullpen area of the NCIS offices. She looked around, unsure of which direction to go. From his desk, Agent Tony DiNozzo noticed her indecision and quickly walked over to offer assistance. "Can I help you?"

"I hope so," she answered. "I'm looking for Abby Sciuto. She's expecting me."

"Abby's lab is this way; let me show you," he answered and flashed a smile. "I'm Special Agent Tony DiNozzo."

"Victoria Thériault. Nice to meet you," she replied smiling back at him.

As they walked between the desks, McGee and Ziva looked up to see the woman accompanying Tony. What they observed was a woman with short, choppy blonde hair carrying a mid-size black case and black purse. Her dark red lips and lined eyelids recalled classic Hollywood; however her clothes were anything but. She wore a white button down shirt and had the sleeves cuffed up to her elbows, the collar turned up and the buttons undone to an almost scandalous level. Her black pencil skirt came to her knees but was high-waisted with a corset-like lacing in the front. Around her neck from a double chain hung a subtly glittering shield pendant showcasing a skull and her heels were red plaid. Before they got past McGee's desk they were met by Gibbs.

"You must be Tori," he said holding out his hand disregarding Tony. "I'm Jethro Gibbs. Let me take you down to Abby."

As Gibbs and Tori walked through the lab's door, Abby looked up and smiled wryly, "You're all dressed up."

"If you didn't call I did have a plane to catch later and I can't wear that to my office," Tori replied pointing at her skirt. "Cute skirt, though. Mom said thanks for keeping me here an extra few days, by the way."

Gibbs looked on, uncharacteristically hesitant to interrupt. Although he didn't tell her, he was happy Abby seemed to be patching things up with her sister. He cleared his throat. "Can we get started?"

"Sure," they replied in unison. Abby then led her sister over to the LED screen on the wall. As Tori looked on, she flashed photos of the remains in the area they had been found while Gibbs provided a short rundown of the case.

"Where are the skulls now and do you need the reconstructions done in any particular order?" Tori asked when Abby finished.

"They're over in autopsy and no, we just need them finished as soon as you can," Abby replied.

"Where do you want me to set up?" Tori questioned.

"I made a spot for you over there," Abby said and pointed to a corner with a small light table. "What else do you need? I didn't have time to do much."

"Get me a camera and markers if you have them and I'll take the photos and get started. Just point me in the direction of autopsy," Tori responded. "Agent Gibbs, I won't have all five done today, but I'll get them done as fast as I can."

"Thank you. I'll leave you to get started. And Abby, I need the results on the trace evidence as soon as possible," Gibbs replied as he left the room.

Tori gathered the camera and other supplies she needed and headed to autopsy with Abby. Ducky looked up from his small desk as the doors opened. "Abigail, I was wondering where you had gotten to. You must be Victoria," he said. "Ah yes, there is a definite resemblance around the eyes."

"When her hair wasn't dark there was even more of one," Tori replied with a sideways glance at Abby. "And please, it's Tori."

"Then call me Ducky," he answered. "I have the skulls over here. They've been cleaned and are ready for you."

"I can take the photos here," Tori said as Tony, Ziva and McGee entered the room. "Abb, you can get back to whatever you need to. I'll be fine."

The trio of agents looked at each other uncomfortably. They had come to autopsy to ask Ducky about the mystery woman meeting with Abby; none of them expected her to be there.

"Yes?" Ducky asked them. "I don't remember calling you three down here."

"You didn't," McGee admitted. "We were hoping you had more information on the remains we found. Trace evidence, that sort of thing."

"You would need to see Abby for that," Ducky replied.

"And look at that, she's here," Tony said. "So Abby, any news on the trace evidence?"

Before Abby could answer, Ziva walked over to Tori and spoke up, "Why are you here to see Abby?"

"I'm doing facial reconstructions on the skulls. Abby doesn't have time with all the other evidence to process so she asked if I would help," Tori replied.

"You are qualified to do this?" Ziva inquired.

"I've done reconstructions before," Tori stated.

"Guys," Abby cut in before things could get out of hand. "Let me introduce you to my sister, Tori. She's worked with Canadian police in the past, Ziva."

"Your sister?" Tony choked out as Tori looked on amused. "I didn't know you had a sister. McGee, did you know Abby had a sister?"

"Well…" McGee answered. "Abby may have mentioned it in passing but never went into detail."

"Yes, I am Abby's sister. I'll be here until the reconstructions are done," Tori replied. "It's been really nice meeting all of you and I'd love to talk more but I have to get to work."

"So do they," Gibbs announced having entered the autopsy room unnoticed.


	2. Chapter 2

Ducky looked on as Tori placed skin depth markers on the first skull. He could tell she was quite adept by the way her hands moved with confidence.

"Obviously, you've had experience doing this before," he said to her.

"I've done more than a few, unfortunately," she replied. "No one should end up like this."

"What you're doing is a great service," Ducky responded. "You help get them back their identity."

"My husband used to say the same thing," Tori said as she looked up at Ducky. "In fact, he's the one who encouraged me to start doing this."

"You don't use a computer?" Ducky asked. "Abigail would, I'm quite certain."

"Abby definitely would and I've used them, too," she explained. "However, I can get a much better feel using my hands. Believe it or not, I'll be able to get the subtleties and nuances quicker this way. Does that make any sense to you?"

"Yes, it does," he replied. "So, you'll be going back to Canada when you're finished? I hope you don't mind me talking while you work."

"Not at all," Tori said. "Yes, I was supposed to return today until this came up and Agent Gibbs officially borrowed me. Once I'm done I'll be going home, much to the dismay of my mother."

"I'm sure your sister and brother would also like you to stay," Ducky said to her. "Abigail was very happy you were coming to visit."

"I'm glad to hear that," she told him. "I've missed everyone, especially Abby. Her not speaking to me for years really hurt, especially since we were so close when we were kids. That being said, for now I still need to be in Montreal. Maybe one day that will change but for the moment it's home."

At nine o'clock that evening Tori was still working. She had finished one reconstruction to her satisfaction earlier in the day but the one she was presently sketching was causing her all sorts of trouble. As she tried to figure out why, she heard footsteps in the dim lab. She spun around to see Tony standing there.

"I hope I didn't startle you," he said. "I was coming to see if Abby was still here."

"She's not and you did. I sent her home a while ago," Tori replied and looked at her phone she had placed on the desk for the time.

"But you're still here," he said. "Gibbs will understand if you don't have them all finished in one day, you know."

She smiled and said, "I know that. I tend to get lost in my work sometimes. I didn't even know what time it was until you walked in."

"So you haven't taken a eaten since…?" he asked.

"Since I arrived," Tori said.

"We should get you some food," Tony said. "I know this great Italian place."

"I don't know. I've got a lot of work ahead of me," she hesitated. Tony was handsome, funny and a flirt from what Abby said and the little she had seen, but she had no intention of getting involved.

"Gibbs is gone for the day. They can wait until tomorrow," he told her. "Besides, you need to eat. It's really hard to draw when you're on the floor from hunger."

"Okay … you win," she said laughing and grabbed her purse.

They got a table at a casual Italian restaurant and decided on pizza and antipasto.

"I'm not trying to be rude, but Abby never said she had a sister," he said.

"Yes, you mentioned that earlier," Tori nodded. "She has a brother, too, in case you're keeping track. We weren't on the best of terms for a long time. It's still awkward sometimes."

"Your accent is odd," Tony said abruptly. "Where do you live?"

"I'm going to assume that wasn't meant to be rude either," Tori told him. "I live in Montreal. Before that I lived in France for seven years. I tend to have a bit of a French accent to my English now."

"Hmmm," he said shaking his head. "I still can't get over you and Abby are sisters. I mean, she has dark hair and all those tattoos, and you, blonde, no tattoos."

"Her hair wasn't always that color, but you didn't hear that from me," she said conspiratorially. "And who's to say I don't have any ink?"

Tony looked at her all flustered. "Well … ah… I guess you could," he stammered as the pizza arrived.

"My job at the museum doesn't permit me to dress like Abby does. I tone it down; wear a skull necklace, the skirt, the shoes. Just because it's not obvious doesn't mean it isn't there," she explained.

"So you do have a tattoo?" he asked.

"I didn't say that either," Tori laughed. She had no intention of getting involved but she found Tony fun to talk to. "That should keep you wondering for days, yes?"

"Why weren't the two of you getting along, if you don't mind me asking?" he mumbled through his pizza.

"She was angry because I stayed in France after my year at the university," she said. "She thought I should've come home when that school year ended."

"And you didn't because?" he asked.

"Do you remember what it was like to be twenty-two?" Tori countered. When he nodded, she continued. "I had finished at the university and had the opportunity to continue my studies there. In Paris. At twenty-two."

"I think there's a French boy involved somehow," Tony said with a wicked smile.

"He wasn't a boy," she said matter-of-factly. "He was older. For what it's worth, I have no regrets. It was a wonderful time of my life."

"And when it ended you came home?" he asked.

"I came home for a while but I missed it," she explained. "I wanted to go back but my parents wanted me home, too. I compromised; moved to Montreal. My parents were happy I was on this side of the ocean; Abby was a bit less angry and actually spoke a sentence or two to me after a while."

"And now that's home?" Tony questioned.

"For years now," she stated her face suddenly changing. The lightness of the conversation was gone and she seemed almost sad. "It's late. We should get going; I want to get an early start tomorrow."

Tony could tell something had touched a nerve with her. Instead of pressing, he decided to follow her lead. "I'll drop you off, it's the least I can do."

Abby was in the lab by the time Tori arrived the next morning.

"What time did you leave here?" Abby asked her sister. "I called Mom after I got home and she said you weren't there yet."

"I think it was around nine," Tori answered. "I grabbed some pizza with Tony before going home."

"You went out with Tony?" Abby asked eagerly. "And?"

"We went for food. It wasn't a date," Tori replied.

"He's not cute enough for you?" Abby questioned. She had purposely told her sister all about Tony when she arrived hoping to spark some interest.

"Abb, really. He's rakishly handsome and you know that," Tori said as she grabbed a pencil. "In fact, I'm not sure how you get any work done with all the attractive men walking around this place."

"We'll talk later," Abby said as Gibbs and his team walked in. Tori looked up from her chair and smiled a greeting at all of them.

"Your sketch was impressive," Gibbs said to Tori before leaving the lab. "We'll be distributing it along the coast to the naval bases and local law enforcement offices. Hopefully someone will recognize her."

"I hope so," Tori replied.

Abby held Tony back in the hallway outside the lab. "Well?" she asked.

"Well, what?" he answered.

"Tori said you guys had pizza last night," she told him.

"We did," Tony said matter-of-factly. "I think she would've slept here otherwise."

"Are you going to have dinner again?" Abby asked.

"I don't know," he answered. "We talked; we ate. Your sister's nice but …"

"But what? I saw you look at her," she cut in not letting him finish. "She didn't turn you down because of Jeremie, did she? She's got to move on with her life. I thought she was doing okay."

"Abby, it wasn't a date. We got pizza. She hadn't eaten since she arrived," Tony told her and then asked. "Who's Jeremie?"

Abby looked at Tony her eyes wide. "She didn't tell you? Oh crap. She's gonna hate me."

"Abs, who is Jeremie?" he asked hoping to shed some light on Tori's mood change the previous night.

"Jeremie is … was Tori's husband," Abby told him. "He was a RCMP; worked in drug enforcement. He was killed while on duty a little over a year ago."

"That's got to be tough for her," Tony said sincerely. "I don't think she'll hate you for mentioning it."

Later that afternoon, Tony walked over to where Tori was working intently. He stood for a few minutes watching before clearing his throat to let her know he was there. When she looked up, he said, "Hey!"

"Have you been there long?" she asked.

"Not really," he said. He noticed she was dressed in black jeans and a form fitting black short sleeve t-shirt. He could see the skull pendant again but still no tattoos.

"I was talking to Abby," he began. "She wanted to know if we would be having dinner again."

"She asked me the same thing," Tori replied. "I told her…"

"That it wasn't a date," he finished. "Yeah, I said the same thing. Not that there'd be anything wrong with a date, just that it wasn't."

"Exactly," she said as she sketched.

He paused and then said, "She also told me about your husband."

"Oh," she replied quietly not flinching from his gaze.

"I'm sorry," Tony said.

"Really?" she asked. "I'm not. I'm really pissed … still. Some dealer who didn't give a damn about who he hurt took away one of the best things that ever came into my life. It's not fair … and I'm angry."

"They say that's normal," he said to her.

"I've accepted that Jeremie's gone. It's a fact I don't ever have to like or be okay with, though," Tori responded. "Maybe you can take these up to Gibbs on your way."

"Sure," he replied as she ended their conversation. "You do really good work."

"They become really good when someone recognizes them," she said. "But thank you."


	3. Chapter 3

Abby walked into the lab after passing Tony in the hallway. "I was wondering if you wanted to grab some food with me tonight? If you have other plans, I understand."

"Abby… let it go," Tori replied. "I would love to have dinner with my sister. I'm ready whenever you are."

"Do you really need all that caffeine?" Tori asked Abby as they sat waiting for their food to arrive. After drinking Caf-Pows all day she was now working on a large cola.

"At this point … probably," Abby assured her. "Tor, I'm sorry; I shouldn't have told Tony about Jeremie."

"It's alright," Tori said shrugging. "It's a not secret. You have to stop wishing me into a relationship so much, though."

"I didn't mean to be so obvious. It's just, I finally have my sister back and I don't want to lose her again. If you meet someone here, maybe you'll stay," Abby replied.

"And maybe I won't," Tori shot back.

"I know a lot of our problems were my doing, but you go and then don't come back for years," Abby said. "You just up and left."

"Abby, I'm sorry if you felt I abandoned everyone. It wasn't like that. I stayed in France because it was a wonderful opportunity," Tori told her.

"Is that what you call it?" Abby asked with a touch of sarcasm in her voice. "I thought it was a way to continue hooking up with, uh, what was his name? Charles. Yes. Charles, the assistant professor."

"Wow!" Tori exclaimed. "When you went out with that bipolar artist who didn't like to take his meds for months, did I say a word?"

"No," Abby responded and then laughed, "But we weren't speaking. Do you think you'll ever move back here?"

"I don't know," Tori said also laughing. "I like my job. I like it there. You enjoyed it after you finally came to visit."

"I did," Abby admitted. "Of course, Jeremie wouldn't let me not have a good time. I was so determined not to like him when we first met and now I miss him so much."

"You were determined not to like him and he was determined that we would be friends again," Tori replied. "I'm glad you gave in. So was he."

"Do you think you'll ever date anyone again?" Abby asked Tori seriously.

"Abby, I've been on dates. Just because you don't hear about them doesn't mean they don't happen," Tori told her sister. "I like boys too much to swear them off. I'm just not interested in a serious relationship right now."

"Maybe one day?" Abby asked.

"Abs, you're starting to sound like Mom and it's really scaring me," Tori replied with exasperation.

"Oh. Remember that time we went to the Insectarium?"Abby asked changing the subject.

"The walking sticks are still my favorites," Tori declared and then continued. "I made you get up at five in the morning to go for bagels."

"I forgot about that," Abby answered groaning. "They were good though."

"They were Jeremie's favorite; once he woke me up at three in the morning to go for them," Tori remembered smiling. "You got off easy."

As Abby laughed, Tori said, "Next time you come to visit we should go then. I'm thinking if we don't sleep, 3 AM should be easy."

"Maybe you're right," Abby answered. "So you really have no interest in Tony?"

"Abby…" Tori said eyes flashing.

Over the next two days Tori finished the remaining reconstructions. As she packed up her supplies, Gibbs stopped by her makeshift desk. "Thanks for your help," he said to her. "We've gotten one ID so far."

"You're very welcome, and I hope you get more," Tori said sincerely.

"I'm glad you and Abby have been able to patch things up. It means a lot to her," he said.

"It means a lot to me, too," Tori stated. "I'm glad she has all of you watching out for her."

"Do you have a tattoo or don't you?" Tony asked as he sat across the table from Victoria Thériault later that evening. She had agreed to have dinner with him again before she left. They had seen a movie and were now getting something to eat at a sportsbar.

"I'm not telling you," Tori replied with a grin. "You're just going to have to wonder."

"I never would've taken you for a sports fan," he said to her. "A goth who likes sports. Who would've guessed?"

"As far as I know, there is no law stating they're mutually exclusive," she said then glanced at the nearby television. "I love football, hockey, lacrosse, I even enjoy curling now. I'm just full of surprises."

"What are the others?" Tony asked.

"If I tell they won't be surprises," she answered.

"No, I guess they wouldn't," he said off-handedly. "Maybe sometime I could call you? That is, if you wouldn't mind talking to someone south of the border who isn't family."

"Since you're a federal agent I'll make an exception," she answered and idly played with her phone. Within seconds his phone rang and he reached to answer it. "Now I'm in your phone."

"How'd you get my number?" he asked startled.

"Abby's not the only Sciuto with mad skills," Tori said smiling.

"So I've learned over the past week," Tony answered.

"I wouldn't tell Abby you have my number," Tori told him. "She'll never leave you alone… or me either for that matter."

"I've learned that, too," he replied and then stared across the table at her. "The tattoo's on your back, isn't it?"

She matched his gaze while slightly shaking her head, laughed and took a sip of beer.


End file.
